Thunderborn

         Questions that have yet to be answered. Smoldering remains from the once great colosseum spread across. The gods sit in a weakened state, trying every fiber of their being to fight, but alas, I can tell they cannot muster up any power. Allies lay on the cold ground, defeated but seemingly at peace. Rest up my friends, you have earned it. I look down at a particular ally, and a sense of gratitude overcomes the confusion. Lione managed to use Victoria’s power, I never thought I'd see the day. He has matured since the days of immature recklessness. Now he is a true warrior, and I couldn’t be prouder. Now is not the time for light-hearted praise, as a presence of unspeakable evil resides within someone I loved like a brother. He stands there under the guise of an ally, not speaking a word. Yet, actions speak louder than mere words, and the acts committed here today cause my very conscience to scream out.

         “Stop him, you must defeat him. He dares to threaten Pax Aeternam, and he hurt those closest to you. He must meet retribution.”

         Then the other voice chimes in, as if trying to absolve the situation at hand. “He is a fellow Adjudicator, a warrior of light. There has to be an explanation for him causing this strife. No punishment should be handed out quite yet. You cannot be Judge, Jury, and Executioner unless you know for sure.”

         I must have gone mad, now is not the time to lose sight of my own morals. It is then that I turn to him, Daze Coolidge, and face the man responsible for this.

         “There are many questions on my mind right now. Before I make my decision on whether to smite you or not, I must know Daze.” He is staring at me with those silver eyes that always seemed hungry, wanting more. Always striving to be better; a better person, a better Adjudicator. Yet now those same eyes are filled with nothing but rage.

         “Did you give into the temptation willingly, or were you tricked?”

         A sly grin spreads on Daze’s face, already giving me the answer to the question beforehand. “I am finally free, unchained and unleashed. I shall be known throughout the realms as the mortal who felled the mighty deities of Pax Aeternam. I seek vengeance for years of being confined to the role of a hero. Such an empty and crass title. I never truly wanted to be a hero, to be an Adjudicator, peacekeeper of the divine. Now I am free, free to do as I please.”

         “But why? Why go to such extremes? You betrayed us, the ones who took you in. Me and you; we were like brothers. When you first arrived in Pax Aeternam, you had been chosen by Mars. He saw the fight in you, the determination, the sheer willpower. Someone who was an amazing person, someone who everyone trusted. Where did all of this go Daze?" I ask him, attempting to hold back the pain of betrayal.

         “I was just a poor, beaten down kid from Chicago. Every day I had to fight. Fight to stay alive, fight to support my parents. You know this already.” He begins to pace around marble rubble from a nearby column.

         “I began wanting more power. Mars gave me that, unruly strength which could even rival you Malak. But I grew impatient of not being able to use them how I pleased. Not being able to use them unless it's absolutely necessary, when lives were on the line. No praise was given to us, we were just looked at as the God’s measly sidekicks. I am much more than that, and I will show everyone.”, his finishing words have answered the remaining questions I have.

         “I see, then there is no going back. No amount of repentance could replay such transgressions committed here today. I was once your leader, and brother in arms. Now you face the Thunderborn; essence of the King of Gods. And I will smite you down where you stand!”

         Daze’s grin quickly turns into a cold-blooded scowl. “I have been waiting for the day where I would fight the fabled Thunderborn full on. Those sparring matches in the past were never enough to sate my hunger. You’d better go all out, or you will die here.”

         Daze’s essence surrounds him in a quick flash of blue light. That light once burned a passionate red, but now has been turned into cold blue after betraying the will of Mars. He creates spears of pure blue and sends them flying at dashing speed. With just a lift of my finger I destroy them with a quick lightning bolt. Agitated by this, He quickly dashes in, kicking up dust behind him. A spear is thrust forth toward my chest in an instant, but I am still faster. I dodge the strike completely. Power begins building deep within mine own veins, like electricity jolting through a current. My fist begins shining with white brilliance.

         “You’ll have to try better than that!” I scream.

         Daze tries to brace himself, but It's too late. I deliver a punch full of lightning directly into his stomach.

         “AAAARGGHHH!”, Daze screams as he is sent flying to the other side of the colosseum.

         Materializing the lightning into physical form, I point upwards to the sky. The sky itself heeds my call, answering swiftly. The purple sky has parted to reveal a light, from this justice shall rain down. A lightning bolt strikes down Daze’s location opening up a large crater where he sat. Rubble is kicked up, creating a haziness throughout the air. Now I look around the purple lit area, looking at the limp but yet peaceful bodies lying around. I can tell my comrades are hurt, but they will be ok. They knew the risk that comes with this duty, and yet they still charged forward against someone they could not beat. They have my upmost respect, truly worthy of the title of Adjudicators. Every ounce of breath, every step I take shall be in their names, as I cannot let their efforts go to waste. Out the corner of my eye, I hear footsteps. Daze’s chest piece is blown wide open, exposing his black and blue clothing underneath. The once shining silver and onyx armor has been riddled with scratches and dents. His grey hair is riddled with debris, while his eyes are full of burning hatred.

         I take a glance over at the gods, whom seem to be slowly regaining their strength. “It appears you still are intact. It is quite surprising that you survived, but I advise you to surrender. Your body is already beat; fatigued even. You will not last much longer. Even with Khaos’s powers, underneath it all you still are a mortal.”

         Daze looks upward towards the dusk filled sky. “A mortal, huh. I no longer know the meaning of the word. I gave up that side of me, the humanity.” A roar of purple energy appears underneath his feet. “Sorry Malak, but this was just a waiting game. Follow me, and I will actually fight back. No more messing around.”

BOOM! Daze takes off like a rocket, followed by a training of purple energy.

         “You must give chase.” A deep but wise voice comes from behind.

         I spin around and am met with a large white beard. His long hair is flowing within a sense of divinity. I look upwards toward the man, no the god standing before my very eyes. Cloaked in all white, like a true bringer of justice.

“Lord Jupiter, I am glad to see you standing. Your strength is returning hastily.”

         “With Daze weakened Khaos’s magic has begun to release; us I am just glad you arrived Malak. I know the journey from Neo Asgard back to here was a long one.” he tells me.

         “My lord, nothing would have stopped me once I sensed the evilness present here. I just wish I could have arrived sooner, before my fellow comrades fell to him.”

         Jupiter begins to run his fingers through his long, silk colored beard. “Do not trouble yourself, they fought with true courage and honor. I witnessed it with my own two eyes. A truly exuberant feat. You need not carry that dark cloud above you head, I can sense the distress. You carry on my will like a true bringer of justice. I am truly glad that I have an essence, no a son, such as yourself Malak.”

         Hearing that gives me a piece of mind. Father always has the right wisdom to give me no matter the situation.

         “Thank you for the kind words my lord, but how are the other gods?” I look towards Minerva, whom seems to be getting to her feet again. Aquilo, Apollo and Vulcan are attempting to stand as well. Mars still lays on the ground, not moving an inch.

         “The effects of Khaos’s essence have begun to wear thin, but yet Mars is growing worse by the minute. It is because his essence, Daze, took in Khaos’s essence.” Jupiter answers.

         “I see, because essences and gods are connected body and mind, Mars is still being constantly afflicted with that evilness through Daze.”

         An air of seriousness comes over me. I can tell what Jupiter is wanting me to do. He looks at me with a face full of hope, as I am the only one in the condition to finish what has been started.

         “Do not worry my lord, Daze will answer for this betrayal, for this pain he has caused us. The smiting will be swift, and merciless.”

         “Be careful Malak, only one person knows what he is truly capable of now, and that is Daze himself. I must seek out Asclepius at once so he may try cauterize Mars’s condition.”

         I turn away from Jupiter and begin sending lightning through my body. The energy flows throughout, giving a static sensation. My muscles clench up, ready to release the potential energy. Daze flew towards the west, which is strange given that there is nothing but abandoned ruins from eons ago in that region. Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder, right as I am about to take off.

         “In absentia lucis, Tenebrae vincunt.”a woman's voice flows into my ears, full of compassion.

         With this wisdom from Minerva, I release the energy and begin zooming through the light purple sky. She is right, with no light, darkness prevails. I cannot, I will not allow that to happen. As I am flying over Pax Aeternam, I look downward to the once prosperious city. Buildings are collapsed; the town square lies vacant and the city is barren. All of the citizens have abandoned this place. Watched over by gods, and ruled by mortals. Yet no one could have seen this betrayal coming. Black smoke emits from the Hall of Adjudication, our home of operations. The banners on the outside have been ripped to shreds. The Marble staircase has been reduced to nothing but rubble. I slowly touch down in front of what used to be the doors, bent completely into an unrecognizable state. Stepping over slabs of marble, I realize that Mars’s statue has been destroyed. The head of the statue sits on a nearby table, giving off a cryptic message. Books are scattered around the floor, with pages singed of purple stains. Our grand dark stone table has been flipped over. Through my boots I can feel the cracks through the tile flooring; as it looks like an earthquake stuck this hall. Daze had a vendetta to take care of here, one that is truly despicable.

         A feeling of sadness takes over me after examining the state of our once great hall. The decisions made here today will forever change the course of not only Pax Aeternam, but our lives as Rhyghts forever. Out the corner of my eye, I catch a brief shimmer of light on top of the altar. Cautiously, I take a few steps up the altar. The rug on the steps has been torn, and the marble altar itself reduced to nothing but mere pebbles. I move around the cold, jagged debris and manage to find a note, written on the remnants of an Adjudicator handbook.

         “The passage of fate is near. I hope you’ll be present to witness your destiny firsthand.”

         Playing mind games, are we Daze? He shall not escape this time. Walking back outside to the eerie city street, a large symbol has appeared. White like the divine, but yet those unrecognizable symbols worry me. Just then I hear his voice, as we are connected body and mind.

         “Malak before you go, I need you to understand what you are walking into.” his voice is full of weariness.

         “Oh, do not fret my lord, there are no tricks up Daze’s sleeve anymore.”

         “I do not mean in combat, but instead a different kind of battle. One which will test the very being of your will.”

         The worry in Lord Jupiter's voice is unnerving. I have never heard him sound like this beforehand. “Forgive me for my ignorance but I do not understand. Is there something about myself, maybe about my duty that I do not understand as the Thunderborn?”

         Silence happens for a brief moment, though it feels like an eternity. “For your safety I instructed the gods to never tell you, but now it is time for you to see with your own eyes. Go to him Malak, stop the evil. Only then shall you uncover your true purpose, not as the Thunderborn but something even greater. May the very blood which binds us give you strength.” Jupiter’s voice slowly begins to fade.

         I no longer hear him, but I still feel the presence of Father deep within. “The passage of fate is near”. “Only then shall you uncover your true purpose.” These thoughts echo around in my head, but now is not the time to think. I brace myself and take off back into the sky, the cold air brushing against me as I head toward a large glowing symbol. Below me are woods of dark leafed trees cloaked under the light of purple. The forbidden woods as they have been named. Normally a seal placed by the hands of Juno blocks off entry, yet it appears Daze was able to dispel it completely. The gods blocked this place off eons ago, for what reason no one but themselves know. Jupiter’s weariness begins to make sense, as there is something here that Daze seeks to obtain. I do not know the objective of Daze, but may Lightning guide me as I head into the unknown.

         A figure is standing in front of two large statues. Landing down in the area, I am forced to walk through overgrown vines. Years of abandonment has allowed nature to retake these once great ruins. The statues slowly begin coming into focus as I head toward the figure. They are heavily covered in moss, but I can at least make out key features. One is a man, but his head is replaced by the face of a demon. The other appears to be an angel, with her brilliant wings spread out. Cautiously, I take a few steps forward.

         “Daze, what is this place?” I ask the figure, who is now kneeling down in front of the demon statue.

         He gets up and walks towards me, stopping a few feet away. “This, is our destiny Malak. I have become unchained from the constraints of heroism, for this very moment. I know what my true purpose is, and I have sought nothing more to experience it firsthand.”

         “I still do not follow you; this better not be another ploy.”

         Daze chuckles a bit. “Don’t believe? Step inside those ruins. Uncover why the gods didn’t want us mortals coming into this space.”

         “It seems there are no other options. Do not try anything funny, or else you’ll be met with-”

         “Yes, yes justice this, smiting that. I know you thundering fool. Now go into ruins, it’ll feel a lot better taking you down after you know what you truly are.” Daze cuts me off, gesturing to begin moving.

         Stepping through the stone entrance, I begin taking steps down into the dark unknown. I begin to channel a spark of lightning in my hand, and it illuminates the darkness. The stone is cool to the touch, dampened from years of humidity. Reaching the bottom of the steps, figures begin to come into focus. They are surrounded a small altar; it is then I realize these are more statues. I take a step into the area, and feel cool wetness in my boots. The floor is filled with water, stained with murkiness that shows the age of this place. Stepping up to the altar, an odd sense of familiarity has grasped me. I know I have not been in these ruins; no mortal has until now. So why do I feel this way?

         “You are standing in the presence of the Incarnations of Aviad.”, a voice comes from behind me.

         “What are you saying? These statues represent the souls of Aviad?” I ask Daze, as he steps forward from the shadows.

         “That is exactly what I am saying. This place serves as the tomb of incarnations, better known as the Tomb of Aviad”, Daze speaks.

         He steps forward near one of the statues, and looks straight at it. This one looks like a regular human, but has a strange appearance about it. The clothing does not look like it is from the earth realm, or Pax Aeternam.

         “Aviad once ended the ancient war of gods by splitting the inherit evil away from the divine. Through this selfless act, he created a balance which was needed to pacify many of the deities. It is here, where the legendary hero Aviad lays at rest. Surrounded by his incarnations; mortals who were born from his indomitable spirit throughout the years.” he continues.

         “Yes, I know about them. Incarnations existed at the same time. One divine and one evil in order to create balance in-” I cut my speech short after the realization hits.

         “It seems you understand where I am going with this, now let’s get this party started. I’ve been waiting for this!” Daze says.

         He puts his hand over a strange clothed statue, and its eyes begin to glow purple. Suddenely, some of the statues around the room gain the same glow. Spirits begin to pour out from the statue in a ghastly purple haze. One from a minotaur, another from a vampire like creature, and a few more from various humanoid statues. The last spirit that shows itself looks like the statue out front, a human with the head of a demon. A tense feeling runs through my body as a great sense of evilness begins to build. The spirits surround Daze, and begin entering his body one by one. Daze has become the perfect vessel to carry out the evil incarnation’s will.

         “Yes, yes! Their power resonates with me. I never knew so much power while I was divine, but this is on a whole different level!” he yells.

         I must stop this before he fully absorbs their power! Lightning forms over my hand; creating a mighty bolt of Lightning. It is hurled towards Daze with the speed of light. BOOM! Sparks fly out as the impact illuminates the dreary air. He stands across from me, with the glow of purple even more dastardly than back at the coliseum. I won’t give up that easily. In quick succession, more bolts are hurled towards him, growing faster and faster. Overwhelming energy begins building within mine own body, like static electricity trying to find an exit. I point my hand toward Daze as my gloves begin resonating even stronger lightning.

         I let out a cry, “HUAAAHHHH!!!”

         A large flow of lightning releases from my hand, so large I can no longer even see Daze. This has to stop him, father himself has used this move to destroy titans. It has to work! Before my own two eyes, the beam of lightning spreads apart. Daze draws closer, and closer. Splash! Splash! His silver clad boots step through the water with a malicious intent. He is no longer a mere human, as no human could survive the divine smite, let alone part it. Yet here he is, almost at eye level. His gray-blue hair appears from out of the beam, followed by the stone-cold eyes of a demon.

         “What this can’t be!” I scream at him.

         “Oh, believe it. This is the power of destiny. You want to achieve it as well? Don’t worry, I’ll help you!” Daze replies.

         His armor clad arm lunges forth from the lightning beam.

         “ARRRRGGUUAAAHHH,” I choke out as his silver gauntlets cut off all vocals.

         I begin gasping for air, but cannot receive any. His strength has increased three times, no tenfold his normal. The coldness of the once bronzed armor sends chill through my spine. Daze lifts me into the air effortlessly. My white cape is draped behind me, fluttering wildly as I try and break his grasp. It is then that I am launched to the other side of the area. I land back down into the water, near a few of the statues. I stand up and face a rather large rock with similar strange symbols as I saw outside. Voices begin speaking out, not from father or the other deities but something else entirely.

         “Stand and fight.”, a burly voice tells me from a barbarian statue.

         “For Justice, for the divine!” a heroic voice rings out from the armor-clad statue.

         “You must face the evil Malak. Only you can stop it!” a heavenly voice calms me from the angelic statue.

         “Reach out to your Destiny.” a wise voice says from a statue of a priest.

         Several more voices begin to cloud my mind, and I stand to my feet and face Daze. It seems like this is what he was waiting on all along. The large rock in front of me illuminates with a sense of divinity.

         “I-I I know now what I must do”, I clench my first and start Daze down.

         He crosses his arms, seemingly pleased at what he has been told. “Good, now come to me. Let’s get the real battle started. A battle that has been going on for thousands of years. Divine versus evil.” He begins to pace around me in a circle.

         “It is a battle that will be decided here today. I, Malak Servius, am the incarnation of Divine. Aviad's divine will runs through me, and it shall prevail.”

         “Oh, is that so? Instead of crumbling at the might of my power you still stand tall? Impressive but foolish.”

         I raise my fist and clench it, sending forth sparks of lightning. “It is time for the final stand Daze. You will not escape my Justice!”

         With a mighty fist I punch through the large rock, shattering it. Symbols begin to glow underneath the rubble. Spirits begin to come to me from all around, engulfing me in their divinity. The flow of energy cascades through my body, shocking my very nerves to the core. The familiarity of this place comes back after realizing that I too, am an incarnation. Looking downward at my hands; my fists have been cloaked in a white aura. Daze has revealed the same purple aura I saw from before, but this time I sense even more malice. Daze creates a couple of blades, materializing from pure evilness. The blades are shaped in purple, but soon reveal themselves as tools with an intent to kill. The energy cores on his armor have turned from blue to purple, the gleaming light pierces my vision.

         In an instant, Daze appears right before my eyes. He begins relentlessly swinging with every bit of force he can muster up. I stumble back, feeling the touch of cool steel as I parry the barrage with my own two hands. A quick swipe comes from behind but it is sidestepped easily. Daze continues the onslaught of steel and rage. Each strike is quick and precise, aimed at every weak point on the human body. Yet he cannot pierce my guard, as the divine incarnations aid me with their protection. Their divine presence has shielded me in a cloak of light, engulfing my body.

         “Playing the defense game, are we? Not what I'd expect from you Malak. Let’s see if you can withstand this!”

         Furiously, Daze lunges into the air and creates a multitude of weaponry. Silver spears, black hammers, and bloodstained war axes all appear in flashes of blue and purple. Bending to his will, each weapon rains down from above, fueled by the rage of Khaos. A rush of energy overcomes me, as I leap toward the rain of weapons. A couple of divine spirits appear before me; guiding my path to deliver justice. My eyes begin to glow, and the rain of weapons slow down for a brief moment. I can see the path of each weapon, as each one leaves behind a line of evil purple light. Agile as lightning itself, I dodge a few of the weapons before grabbing a war axe from the air. With the axe in hand, I wield the wooden hilt and swing it toward the oncoming swarm of weapons. CLANG! SLASH! The weapons are sent flying out of my path, the evil has been deflected.

         Appearing in front of Daze, his silver pupils grow large. He sends a mighty punch my way, a gust of air is thrust forth. However, his full concentration was not put behind it, the form is sloppy. I catch his fist in my palm, and bend it backwards.

         “Argh!” Daze screams out.

         I hear a couple of bones pop, proving he is still mortal after all. Even with the incarnations of Aviad, and the power of Khaos he is still not immortal. As Daze struggles to get out of my grasp, lightning forms over my hands. I deliver a flurry of blows; one, two, three, four, five hits land. More hits continue to connect. I see the strain in his face, his breathing has become irregular. Daze’s armor piece begins to crumble underneath the might of my blows. As I am about to deliver the final hit, a huge chill runs through my back. An intense feeling of malice overcomes my senses. Rather than delivering the punch, I try and leap backward. It is all but too late as I suddenly feel pressure on my wrists. A purple aura emits from Daze’s hands, and my immense power begins to wane.

         “Your evil shall not prevail!” I scream.

         The area beneath us begins to spark, serving as a warning of what is to come.

         “Gah!” Daze gasps.

         He quickly shoves me away as the lightning bolt strikes down, leaving the area blackened. Back on the ground, smoke clouds all vision except the silhouettes of the statues. I look downward at myself, all around I am still sparking from the Lightning bolt hitting. My chest is still smoking from the strike. I survey the area for Daze, but I have no idea where he has hidden. The sense of malice has calmed down.

         SPLASH! SPLASHI! I begin hearing rapid footsteps through the water. "Show yourself Daze, you can’t hide from me.”

         Daze lunges forward through the smoke, knocking me into the water. He is holding a strange knife with a wicked purple blade. The feeling of deep evil returns, but this time the weight is too heavy to resist. I cannot muster up the strength to completely repel the attack, the blade seems to be sapping away my divine energy. This must have been what Daze used to weaken the gods to such a deprived state. We are fully powered incarnations, and it seems fate is trying its best to choose a side to be victorious. The blade is pushed closer to my chest, I grab his wrist and push back. My muscles clench up, and my veins begin showing themselves. Daze has the momentum, so my resisting is to no avail. The strength of my grasp is not enough as the blade pierces through my chest plate. The glowing blade slowly inches deeper through my skin, a burning sensation strikes my nerves.

         “ARRGGGHHH! Daze cease this at once!” I plead with him.

         He responds with a slight chuckle, followed by a grin. “Sorry Malak, this is the end of the Thunderborn!”

         The blade runs deeper through my chest as Daze is forcing the blade downward with more strength. His eyes begin to glow purple, within them I can see the faces of the incarnations which are now a part of him. Just a few days ago I never could imagine him like this, but now the evilness has become natural like the very breath he takes. The blade is now fully through my body, all the way to the onyx hilt. Cough! Cough! Blood is hacked upwards, as I wheeze for air. I begin to feel cold all over. My senses have dwindled, and then I can no longer feel anything. No more pain, no more strength, and the presence of the divine has all but disappeared. Almost immediately feel as though I was forced out of my body, like my very soul was banished.

         Even with the power of the divine I was unable to bring justice. I stare downward at my body; blood still trickles out of the gaping wound. My eyes once full of light have turned gray, no movement of any kind can be seen. The knife is ripped out of my chest, completely bloodstained. Daze stands over my body, casting a tall shadow. He licks the tip of the knife and cast a sly smirk.

“Hope you enjoy wherever the hell you “heroes” go when you die. Heaven, Valhalla, Mount Olympus; it doesn’t matter to me. But I hope you keep a close eye on me, I want you to witness me. Witness my greatness.”

         Those are the final words I am able to make out from him. I am suddenly forced upward through the ruins and toward the dark sky. All that can be seen around me are clouds. I take a few steps outward and find myself quickly surrounded by vast beautiful fields of green. Father is waiting for me here as the clouds turn from dark black to clear white.

         “Malak I am truly sorry, you have fallen. As my essence, and a son to me, I am truly grateful for all you have done. You have earned the blessing of Elysium; you may now rest at peace.” melancholic tone strikes a realization.

         “I-I died? No, my lord, this can’t be!”

         Lord Jupiter begins to clench his lips. His eyes are full of pain. “I felt as you took your last breath. As you weakened, I quickly hurried to your side, but as your lifeforce weakened so did I.” he responds.

         I clench my fist, the flashes of the cursed blade, the blood spilled, my power completely leaving as I took my last breath. “But my lord, in my absence who shall lead the Adjudicators? Who will stop Daze? I can’t sit here idle. I have to beat him! I have to uphold your will! I have preserve the divine! I am an incarnation!”

         “You were an incarnation son. Not any more. These are no longer your concerns Malak, leave the rest to us. We will figure it out.” father replies.

         “I can tell by your demeanor; my passing has crippled your strength. You aren’t radiating the same level of divine energy. Your beard is turning gray, and your muscles are not as defined. I can’t leave you like this; you’ll never be at full strength as long as I stay dead” I tell him, full of worry.

         He sighs, and looks upward. “This is a price we, no I, as King of gods must pay. Once an essence is ripped from a god, they lose that power for eternity. This is what happens for not being attentive. Not seeing the evil cultivating, brewing before my own eyes. As a result, our realm was ravaged, and you were taken away from me.”

         Jupiter looks at me, and I feel a rush of energy within him. “With your passing my strength has grown weaker, but my resolve has grown stronger. Now rest my son, trust I will avenge you. I will carry out your will for eternity.”

         “It seems I have no other choice. Though I may be dead, know I will always be with you father.”

         With those words, I know there is no going back. It is strange, out of respect I never referred to him as “father” directly, but now it only feels natural. There is no reincarnation, rebirth, or escape for me. No way to see my comrades, or my father ever again. No way to resume leadership of The Adjudicators. Now all that is left is the Thunderborn to be lain to rest. A tear begins to roll down my cheek, as the emotions are running rampant. The other divine incarnations appear before me in a circle, welcoming me to their ranks. A spirit appears right in front of me in a flash of light, his tanned skin reflects his own divinity. His black beard and white eyes reveal his identity to me. He steps forth and embraces me with a warm hug.

         “Malak, it is time you join us. Let us create the balance together by upholding the light of justice.” the man speaks to me.

         “Do not worry Aviad, it shall be done. This is a guarantee...from the Thunderborn.”